Liverpool FC goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has been on the receiving end of Luis Suarez’s genius.

In March 2011, with Liverpool leading a Premier League match 1-0 at the Stadium of Light, Suarez collected a throw-in from Dirk Kuyt in as safe an area as a goalkeeper could possibly feel in the final third of the pitch.

He was on the touchline, back to goal, with three defenders barring his path to the six yard box.

Six-and-a-half seconds later, one whirling dribble and a vicious strike from about as acute an angle as you can have, Mignolet was beaten.

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Like all goalkeepers Mignolet remembers the goal grudgingly.

“As a goalkeeper you never want to concede, but that was a good finish and he’s scored past lots of goalkeepers,” he grimaced.

But in true goalkeeping fashion he has turned that experience into a positive.

Suarez is now a team-mate.

And Mignolet is using having to face a forward of such unpredictable audacity every day as a learning curve.

“Seeing him come back into the squad is a big boost for us,” he explained. “Everyone knows the quality he has and it is what we need for Liverpool. Not only on matchdays but every single day in training. I see it every single day in training when I’m one v one with him and you see what he can do, so he will improve me as a goalkeeper as well.

“We know there’s a lot more to come from him and I’m sure he will score goals and win games for Liverpool again.”

A repeat of that wonder goal at the Stadium of Light would be welcomed by Mignolet this weekend, as he returns to the club where he spent three years before joining Liverpool this summer.

“It’s the first time I’ve been back and I’m really looking forward to going back to the Stadium,” he said. “There are a lot of people who I still know from my time there so I am looking forward to seeing them again and have a catch up. But the main thing is about getting the result we want and we have to make sure we get the three points.

“I keep in touch with some of the players, but also the staff and the people around there. I was there three years so I know a lot of people and I never like to see them struggling. They were unlucky at the start of the season so hopefully they can turn it around – but only after Sunday.”

Of course while it is Mignolet’s first return to Wearside since joining the Reds, Sunderland will be playing their first match since parting company with maverick manager Paolo Di Canio.

Some of the stories surrounding di Canio’s eccentric reign have caused raised eyebrows up and down the country.

He banned ketchup, mayonnaise, coffee prior to training, coke and ice the night before a game; wouldn’t allow stewards to make eye contact with players on matchdays in case it distracted their focus – and even banned players from singing on match days.

If Mignolet was asked to make any significant lifestyle changes in the brief time he worked with di Canio, he wasn’t saying.

“Being a goalkeeper I spent 95 per cent of the time with the goalkeeping coach,” he said. “And when it came to matchday I had quite a good relationship with him.

“In fact up until now I’ve had quite a good relationship with every manager I’ve played under. So hopefully, touch wood, we can keep it that way. I drink quite a lot of coffee, but when I was there it wasn’t an issue. I got on with my job like I always do.”

Mignolet has been getting on with his job superbly since his ï¿½9m switch from Wearside.

After a nervous start against Stoke City, a stunning, match-winning penalty save in the last minute proved the best possible way of settling into a new club.

“For me personally, with it being my first game at Anfield it gave me a lift straightaway and gave my confidence a boost as well.

“It made the games after that easier for me. It was a good day but then again I don’t really want to look back too much, I want to look forward.”

Mignolet is happy to look back to 2005, though, and a moment when a Liverpool goalkeeper entered into Anfield folklore.

Mignolet was speaking at the launch of the the new Sells Goalkeeper Products website (www.sellsgoalkeeperproducts.com) and didn’t need pointing out that Jerzy Dudek was wearing Sells gloves when he made THAT penalty save in Istanbul.

“He wore those gloves when he won the Champions League so hopefully that can happen again!” he smiled.